Automatic window-shade-roller adjuster



Nov. 24, 1925.. 1,562,481

F. E. WERNTZ AUTOMATIC WINDOW SHADE ROLLER ADJUSTER Filed May 10, 1922 34 EI Quin 3/ P a FrarzifE. Wrniz.

Wiifness: 5&1, 5M

Patented Nov. 2.4, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRANK n. WERNTZ, or" Lnnnsf ili'issounr.

AUTOMATIC WINDDWSHADEROLLER ADJUSTER.

Application filed May 10, 1922. Serial No. 559,949.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK E. WERNTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leeds, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vin dow-Shade-Roller Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to window shade roller adjusters, and one object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can bemanufactured and installed at small cost.

A further object is to provide a device by means of which the shaderoller may be raised or lowered to let in more or less light and air above the shade, and which willlock the roller automatically in any of its adjusted positions.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a window frame with my device installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of clamping means for gripping the cord whereby the shade roller and itss-upport are adjusted up and down.

Fig. 3 is a view similar toFig. 2, with the arts in position for releasing the adjusting cord.

Fig. 4 is a perspective'view of a bracket forming one member of the clamping means.

Fig. '5 is a perspective view of a bell-crank forming the other member of the clamping means.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of a pair of shade roller hangers used in carrying out the invention.

In carrying out the invention I provide cord clamping means embodying a bracket 2 having a pair of oppositely disposed arms 4t, provided with holes 6 at their outer terminals. An eye 8 is formed in the upper forwardly curved end of the bracket 2 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Said bracket 2 is secured to the top cross member of a window casing A by a screw or the like (not shown) passing through hole 10 in the back of the bracket and threaded into the window casing.

12 designates a bell-crank having trunnions 14lpivotally mounted in the holes 6 of the bracket 2. Said bell-crank 12 is provided on its lower arm with an upturned terminal 15 having an eye 16 through which adjusting cord 18 passes for the purpose guides '31.

ofv operating the device. of thebell-crank disposed tapered cord 18 passes.

2O designates a retractile spring secured at one end to the bracket 2 and at its opposite end to' the bell-crank 12 to hold the clamping means in'active position.

22 designates a pair of rightangular shade roller hangers having their terminals 24 and'26 bent at acute angles, and their intermediate portions formed into eyes 28 and SOto provide bearingsfor the" shade roller B, as shownby Fig. 1. Said hangers22 are supported by the cord 18, which in turn is supported by guides 31 secured to the top of the window frame A.. The lower terminals of the brackets 22 are held from spreading'apart and allowing the roller B to fall, by a transverse cord 32, the ends of which V The upper arm 12 has a pair of oppositely slots 20 through which the 'areforced into the acute angles 24 and are held thereby from withdrawal, further security being had by knotting the ends 330i said cord 32.

- In practice the device is installed by securingthe bracket 2 to the upper member of the window frame A. The guides 31 are then secured to 'thefwindow frame near its upper'eorners and the adjusting cord 18 is formed into a loop andrun through said Both ends of the cord 18 are then runthrough the eye 8 inthe bracket '2, the slots 20 in the'bell-crank 12, and the eye 16 in the terminal 15 of said bell-crank, after which the ends of said cord 18 are knotted to prevent accidental withdrawal through the eye 16. The looped upper part of the cord 18 is then pulled down a suitable distance and secured in the acute angles formed by the terminals 26 of the shade roller hangers 22. The curtain pole B is next placed in position in the hangers 22.

Normally the cord 18 is held stationary by engaging in the narrow upper ends of the slots 20, but when it is desired to raise or lower the shade roller B the cord 18 is pulled down until it rocks the bell-crank 12 from the position disclosed by Fig. 2 to that disclosed by Fig. 3. This operation pullsv the cord 18 into the wider portions of the slots 20 so that the cord may be readily raised or lowered to any desired extent. After the shade roller B has been adjusted to the desired height the ends of the cord 18 are released, whereupon the spring 20 instantly restores the bel1-crank lever 1.2 to

the position disclosed by Fig. 2, which operation again forces the cord 18 into the narrow portions of the slots 20, thereby securely holding the cord until it is again manually operated.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a device embodying the advantages above pointed out, and while -I have shown and described the preferred form of the invention I reserve the right to such modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described consisting of a pair of shade roller hangers bent at right angles and having their terminals bent at acute angles, a transverse cord adjustably secured to the lower angular portions of said hangers to prevent the same from spreading apart, another cord whose transverse intermediate portion is adjustably secured in the upper angular portions of the hangers, guides adapted to be secured to a window frame and through which opposite portions of the last-mentioned cord freely run, and means adapted to be secured to the window fram e for holding said last-mentioned cord in any of its adjusted positions.

2. In a device of the character described, a bracket adapted to be fixed to a window frame and provided at its upper portion with an eye through which a cord freely runs, a bell-crank fulcrumed to said bracket and having an eye in its lower arm through which the cord freely runs and a tapered slot in its upper arm for holding the cord at any point of its adjustment, means'for yieldably holding said bell-crank in position to hold the cord stationary until the same is pulled downwardly to lower the bellcrank, and shade roller supports to which the cord is attached so that said supports may be raised or lowered by operating the cord accordingly.

3. In a device of the character described, a bracket adapted to be fixed to a window frame and provided with an eye through which opposite portions of a cord freely run, a bell-crank fulcrumed to said bracket and having an eye in one arm through which the opposite portions of the cord freely run and two tapered slots in its other arm for holding the opposite portions of the cords stationary until said bell-crank is actuated by pulling on the cord, springmeans for normally holding the bell-crank in position to hold the cord stationary, and shade roller supporting means controlled by the cord so that the shade may be raised or lowered.

4. In a device of the character described, a bracket adapted to be fixed to a window frame and having an upper forwardly projecting portion with an eye through which a cord freely runs, a bell-crank fulcrumed to said bracket and having an eye in its lower arm through which the cord freely runs and a tapered slot in its upper arm for coacting with the latter and the forwardly projecting portion of the bracket in holding the cord at any point of its adjustment, means for yieldably holding said bell-crank in position to hold the cord stationary until the same is pulled downwardly to lower the bell-crank, and curtain roller supports to which the cord is attached so that said supports may be raised or lowered by operating the cord accordingly.

FRANK E. WERNTZ. 

